Vegetation

V

Semi-natural and managed vegetation is often very sensitive to the main drivers of environmental change, ie climate, pollutants and land use practices.

The vegetation protocol is sub-divided as follows:

Baseline Survey (VB). Whole site survey with up to 500 systematic 2m x 2m plots. Species presence related to the National Vegetation Classification (NVC)

Coarse-grain sampling (VC). 50 random 2m x 2m grid plots surveyed every nine years. Species presence recorded in each of the 25 40cm x 40cm cells of the plot. Where plots fall in woodland, seedlings, dbh, height and dominance are recorded within a surrounding 10m x 10m plot (Woodlands (VW)).

Fine-grain sampling (VF). At least 2 10m x 10m plots randomly selected within each NVC type surveyed every three years. Species presence recorded in 40cm x 40cm cells.

Related information

Our field activities

AUGUST

At terrestrial sites evening bat monitoring continues and we also sample for spittle bugs using sweep nets. In rivers and lakes we sample aquatic macrophytes (water plants visible to the naked eye). The usual year-round measurements are also made.